The Daily Nation, released an image of one of the two suicide bombers who tried to assassinate President Musharraf. The force of the blast detached his face from his head and it flew up and fell of the roof of the nearby police station. He was identified as a bomber from the amount of explosive material on the face.

The image has sent a wave of shock among Pakistanis, who by-and-large, have condemned this attack.

1. What motivates these bombers to accept such mission of suicide attacks ?

2. Are these suicide bombers justified in any form or manifestation ?

3. Is Islam being exploited by radicals at the cost of innocent believers in the 21st century ?

Reader Comments:

Suicide bombers

islam has unequivocally forbidden suicide .islam has some ethics even to go to war howcan they justify suicide killings if they have no means to fightback the enemy.those who manipulate people to commit such heinous crimes should be severly penalized and there is a dire need that our media portrays islams true spirit about suicide killings so that there should not be any misconception in the minds of people who are getting exploited by some fantics.

Aisha Sana, Pakistan - 03 January, 2004

Israel tech saves Musharraf

Apparently new Israeli technology was the saviour of Pakistan's PM. I hope this opens up a new dialogue between other bitter Israeli rivals as I see this as a real gesture of good intent on behalf of the jewish state.

David, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

What's wrong wiz USA?

Terrorism is an act of evil, but these evils wouldn't be there if America didn't start puting thier finger in other peoples business, America is the reason for every countrys coruption, Iraq, Eritrea, Afganista, sudiarab, and on and on. at the end America for sure will try to control the whole world, one world one goverment. anyway lets all pray for peace and stop the evil job of terrorism.

KUBROM NEGASSI, Aruba - 03 January, 2004

Its Jewish Bush conspiracy

Everyone knows that this attack was caused by GW Bush. He is hiding in Pakistani caves planning attacks. How can you people not see this. It is sooooo obvious. The Earthquake in Bam, Iran was also caused by GW Bush when he ordered the experiment of a new device that amplifies human gas release by Americans. This device is known as the SBD amplifier and causes the earth shake and people to die!

Bennie, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

Islamic terrorists

if you take a good hard look at most of the turmoil around the globe in most all of the situations it is one kind of an Islamic organization fighting someone else. That is why so many of us have such a hard time believing that Islam is a religion of peace, that is until I see all of the friendly people coming out of the Mosque no more than two blocks from my house.
To give my view of the questions as an American college student.
1. what motivates these people?
Religious brainwashing, they are lead to believe that killing infidels in the name of Alah will guarantee them a place in heaven.
2.Are these attacks justified?
NO, not in any way.
3. Is Islam being exploited by radicals?
yes

Don, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

Suicide attacks

It's a lot easier to do this than it is to work hard for 40 years to make one's country a better place. Suicide is a cheat, and worse, because the notion that death absolves one of responsibility is a myth.

Bombers who attack police, military or government targets, and only those targets are guerillas in the classic sense. These targets are permissible in civilized warfare. Those who purposefully murder civilians with their bombs, as most of the Palestinian attacks have done, are terrorists. They aim to cause terror among a civilian population to thereby force a government to change policy, hence the name "terrorism" (yes, the massed carpet-bombings of cities during World War Two, like Rotterdam, Coventry, Dresden, Chungking, Tokyo, Hiroshima were state terrorism.) International humanitarian law forbids these attacks, as did the Hague Convention.

The bombers must ask themselves what sort of country they want to live in. Even if they get their wish, and their government is replaced with a regeime more to their liking, there will inevitably be some who hate the new administration. Is it desireable that the groups not in power always turn to firearms and explosives to get their redress? The country will remain poor forever if that is the case.

Michael, Aruba - 03 January, 2004

Hold on a minute

I, for one, don't think that all Mulims are potential terrorists. HOWEVER, while George W. Bush was making a strong effort to see that all Muslims were not blamed for the 911 attacks there was mostly silence coming from the Mosques.

If you don't want to be seen as supporting the terrorists you should be seen condeming the terrorists.

Andy Dufresne, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

absurd

There is no justification for murder, war is a sad thing but part of human nature unfortunatly but in any religion be it islam or christian nowhere is suicide or especially murder (call it what you will but when you take an innocent life it is murder!) and i am sickened by those who would try to say that god or any higher being would call for such an outragous act to happen.
It is a tragity that people can and do exploit those week minded people in the name of islam and it is complete bs that there has or will ever be a (holy war) those two words do not belong in the same sentance, and the motives are simply lies, deciept and evil.
Religion is about peace and love for one another no matter race color creed or religion. And anyone who says otherwise is lying and is either trying to decieve or is being decieved themselfs.
As far as im concerned there is no justification in any way, shape or form to justify suicide or murder and i pray that those who have been decieved will see the error of thier ways because after this life you will learn the truth and be forever condemed and hopefully god will have mercy on thier souls.

j.miller, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

ka boom

what a waste people killimg themselfs,for wat? religion or freedom? sad our world sometimes.lets just get over it and get on lifes to short as it is,

brendon, New Zealand - 03 January, 2004

Let us not forget

Musharraf came to power by the gun or at least by the threat of it. I do not think that violence has any answers to Pakistan's problems.

Let us not forget that he is not a democrat and though Pakistani democracy may not have been perfect no democracy is. The sooner he steps aside and returns the rule of Pakistan to the Pakistani people the better.

We all should support democracy in any and all countries regardless of the opinions of the democratically elected governments.

Neil, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

Islam?

If these suicide bombers are going to hell, why do we insist on stopping them? I say we let the impure burn and the real followers of Islam come forward.

Oh, wait -- then there would be no one left, would there?

Ricardo, Uzbekistan - 03 January, 2004

Whatever happened to personal responsibility for ones actions? These suicide bombers make a choice to do so. you can not blame, "america" or "western" or "jews" or anyone for what you do but YOURSELF. PERIOD. YOU are responsible for what YOU Do. End of discussion. Quit blaming others for your own problems. You have a voice, you dont like the ways things are, speak up and change it. Do it in a responsible manner, as Im sure your religion teaches you to do. Im sick and tired of all these ignorant people blaming others for their misery.

Josh, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

SUICIDE BOMBINGS

I want all muslims to know this. It is wrong to Kill, regardless of what you were taught, it is wrong to kill because people think different than you do. All religions should be banned ... just dividers is all they are..we are all still humans..1st

jonathon scott, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

Martyrs

When a Jew kills a Palestinian he is a hero (and the Palestinian's name, face, mutilated body is never shown) - when a Palestinian kills a Jew he is a terrorist (and the Jew's hobbies, life are detailed).

When 3,000 Westerners die, they are victims; when millions of 3rd-world persons are killed by the West, they are "collateral damage."

In other words, the West is always right, the rest is always messed up ? Take it from me, the West treats us former Soviet-Bloc states as second-class "people."

Andy Duphresgne, Reunion - 03 January, 2004

since September 11th, the United States has been on a worldwide campaign to exterminate ALL religious fundamentalist groups that have potential for terror. This, I believe, is impossible. It is a notion, an idea, and is not realistic. The American government is only acting out to instill the idea of comfort and security into American citizens. The American people support it blindly, with their flags raised on their expensive foreign cars. In a way, Adolf Hitler did the same. He instilled hope and comfort, economic balance and pride in the German people. Then he sought out to eliminate a certain race of people with a belief system that he found threatening. Who knows what will come of the war on terror, but do not be surprised if the United States of America becomes the 4th Reich, although not so blunt. There is simply no way to eliminate everyone who hates America, and we raise an eye at any Muslim on the street. No government alone can destroy thoughts, in other words freedom of choice. These thoughts in these fundamentalist groups are like an infection, and there is no way to stop infections with physical violence or force. In fact, everyone in this world has the infection. The infection is religion, or a belief system, so strong that people will blindly fight wars over it. The infection is the idea that violence and death are the only
way to win, and our obsession with it. So we need an antidote. And we need it quick, because pretty soon, this infection will win, and none of us will be left. We need to work together as one, and find the solution within ourselves. We need the truth, and the truth is
the one thing that is impossible for anyone to disagree with. When everyone knows the truth, even if the truth itself is that there is no truth, there will be no more wars, no more terrorism. We need a spiritual revolution.

Sean, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

America is the most powerful and most advanced nation this world has ever seen. Everyone wants a piece - end of story.

Long John, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

Enough, Already!

1. The bombers are convinced that sacrificing themselves for their cause will bring them to the hand of Allah. There are many and various offshoots of the Islamic faith, each with their own particular interpretation of the Quran. The common thread between them is that they believe the Western World to be the great evil. We are the White Devil to these people, and this gives them the divine right (or so they believe) to sacrifice themselves in order to further the destruction of our kind. This is not unique; there have been many sects over the years that have gone blindly about their business, as they see it, of achieving whatever goals they have set for themselves.
Is it all on them? Not entirely. The creation of the Jewish state in 1948 was a thorn in the side of the entire Arab world, and their vigorous form of self-defense has never been to the liking of their neighbors. As if matters couldn't be worse, the parties concerned both claim divine right to the land tract in question.
Who really belongs there? That is open to some debate, butm if you ignore the religious nonsense, the bottom line is that there is now, in that place, a modern society. A soceity with modern cities, modern services, and modern infrastructure. This is 2004, and if the Muslim factions are upset with the rise of modernity in the Holy Land, oh well. Get over it. Additionally, I'm not saying that either side have necessarily been right in their handling of the crisis, but I still live with certain principles. The same principles, by the way, that the Holy Bible, the Holy Quran, and the Torah all hold to be true. Three words; MURDER IS WRONG. What these suicide bombers are doing is murder. Not just of soldiers, but of private citizens as well. Before anyone even says it, the actions in Iraq recently stand as the response of the civilized against those who are not. The whole issue, do we belong there, what about friendly fire, what about civilian casualties, etc. Freedom is not cheap, neither for us nor for the Iraqis. I don't agree with the way in which our government decided to justify their assault, but I am glad to see Saddam Hussein removed from power. The man was a maniac, and ruling a multicultural nation as he did is one of the worst cases of oppression in the modern era. He murdered without just cause or care. He is just like all the other terrorists. Granted, George went after him because of a blood feud, but the world is still better without him. Soon, the Iraqis will figure that out.
The bottom line is, he got the ball rolling against the terrorists of the world, as no one before him had ever done. In consideration that terrorism has existed since the late 50's, it's really about time. Now, the nations of Europe and many in Asia are devoted in some way to hunting down and removing terrorist organizations from the face of the earth.
As for the Islamic faith, I personally do not believe in any form of organized religion. I am, however, intensely familiar with subject of religion, having been raised Presbyterian. I feel that it is without doubt true that young Islamic followers are being recruited and used as pawns to commit suicide missions against the innocent. Look at the profiles of these people; both men and women, most with families, under age 30, relatively well educated. You get the idea; get them at a young age, mould them into what we can become. Gee, does that sound familiar? It should. The Branch Davidians, Marshall Herff Applewhite, Jim Jones. We have fanaticism here, too. What do you think the Klu Klux Klan was, a social organization?
The fact is that the vast majority of Muslims in the world support the stoppage of terrorist activity. It is the fanatics and fringes that are responsible for the violence, and this is what the allies are after. Al Quaeda, Abu Sayyef, Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and all the rest of them are suffering disruptions in their plans, as well as the arrest of their top operatives around the world. This is not a game, ladies and gentlemen. This is the United States and a lot of other countries who are saying no to tolerating terror. No one should have to go around in fear that they will be bombed by terrorists, no matter what part of the globe they happen to live in. And don't make the mistake of thinking that this is Christendom/Judaism versus Islam. Murder is murder, any way you view it. All three texts agree, and I agree with that, too. We need to keep our eyes on the ultimate goal, which is the eradication of terrorist groups throughout the world. We will all be better off without them.

Christopher Lewis, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

Muslims from day one of Islam have been aggresive in wars. Only one other sect, the kamakazi of Japan in ww2 has ever gone so far as to kill them selves to spite others. 99% of the bombers this last year were of the Islamic faith. If they were so peace loving as they claim they would weed out all the bombers, but infact I believe most muslims support them.

John, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

mojave desert reports:

Attention! the bomb blew his friggin' face off his scull. Doesn't the "suicide bomber" job discription mention that you will probably blow your freakin' face off? Get a clue! May your bomb explode mightily; as you are making it. ( also: it couldn't hurt to have as many of your family members around you as possible for this important gene pool cleansing event!) good riddance.

Don, United Kingdom - 03 January, 2004

#1. In a sence of bleakness, or hopelessness, mabey, to a person who only form of info intake is controled, be sight,sound,life..well...
#2.None. This is the worst form of psychological warfare now known to man.
#3.Yes. Being born after JFK, the start of Vietnam, I feel i was born in a society that had this past it was not ready to confront, nor confirm. At first a proud people, with a usual lot of bad apples,oranges,bananas,mangos,ect...
Never would i have thought i would witness the carnage these eyes have seen...in print..on T.V..and in the most manipulated fashion, so subtle.
To the point of an entire generation will not understand the "real" story, because it seems to far fetched.
59 years of Postwar boom have brought the circle full around, a caste society in which promotes physical beauty and and rewards obliviousness.
Why our Leaders pursue this road to ruin is crystal clear, but does someone creible step forward and say or do something?..as some have.

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